Aerodynamic forces acting on a golf ball are typically resolved into orthogonal components of lift (FL) and drag (FD). Lift is defined as the aerodynamic force component acting perpendicular to the flight path. It results from a difference in pressure that is created by a distortion in the air flow that results from the back spin of the ball. Due to the back spin, the top of the ball moves with the air flow, which delays the separation to a point further aft. Conversely, the bottom of the ball moves against the air flow, moving the separation point forward. This asymmetrical separation creates an arch in the flow pattern, requiring the air over the top of the ball to move faster, and thus have lower pressure than the air underneath the ball.
Drag is defined as the aerodynamic force component acting opposite to the ball flight direction. As the ball travels through the air, the air surrounding the ball has different velocities and, thus, different pressures. The air exerts maximum pressure at the stagnation point on the front of the ball. The air then flows over the sides of the ball and has increased velocity and reduced pressure. The air separates from the surface of the ball, leaving a large turbulent flow area with low pressure, i.e., the wake. The difference between the high pressure in front of the ball and the low pressure behind the ball reduces the ball speed and acts as the primary source of drag.
Lift and drag, among other aerodynamic characteristics of a golf ball are influenced by the external surface geometry of the ball, which includes the dimples thereon. As such, the dimples on a golf ball play an important role in controlling those parameters. For example, the dimples on a golf ball create a turbulent boundary layer around the ball, i.e., the air in a thin layer adjacent to the ball flows in a turbulent manner. The turbulence energizes the boundary layer and helps it stay attached further around the ball to reduce the area of the wake. This greatly increases the pressure behind the ball and substantially reduces the drag.
Accordingly, the design variables associated with the external surface geometry of a golf ball, e.g., surface coverage, dimple pattern layout, and individual dimple geometries afford golf ball designers the ability to control and optimize ball flight. Thus far, any adjustments to dimple geometry in an attempt to optimize aerodynamic characteristics have been limited to dimple profile. In fact, while dimple profile has been used by manufacturers in an attempt to affect the aerodynamic performance of a golf ball, the dimple shape or perimeter has remained circular in nature. However, circular dimples are limited with respect to packing efficiency and number in a dimple pattern. As such, there remains a need in the art for non-circular dimple plan shapes that alter the boundary layer flow and laminar to turbulent transition and provide a means to fine tune golf ball aerodynamic characteristics by controlling the external surface geometry.